3.10 To Yuma (Blu-ray)

Western starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. In Arizona in the late 1800s, infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Crowe) and his vicious gang of thieves and murderers plagued the Southern Railroad. When Wade is captured, Civil War veteran Dan Evans (Christian Bale), struggling to survive on his drought-plagued ranch, volunteers to deliver Wade alive to the 3:10 to Yuma, a train that will take the killer to trial. On the trail, Evans and Wade, each from very different worlds, begin to earn each other's respect. But with Wade's outfit on their trail - and dangers at every turn - the mission soon becomes a violent, impossible journey toward each man's destiny.|Don't believe, despite what some may tell you, that the western is dead. 3:10 To Yuma is one of a handful of films in the genre that have slipped out over the past decade, with this one a fresh take on an Elmore Leonard story that was previously filmed with Glenn Ford in the lead role. This time, the cast is led by Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and it's a fairly straightforward tale that they tell. Basically, Bale's sheriff vows to bring Crowe's killer to justice, and to make sure that he gets on the prison train of the title. It's pretty much as simple as that.|The film is low on surprises, to be fair, but 3:10 To Yuma is powered by the strong central performances, and the direction of Walk The Line helmer James Mangold, who makes much of the stunning scenery that his camera is often pointed at. There’s clearly a love of the genre here, with the landscapes eaten up by the excellent photography work.